EP0070094B1 - Tube mounting for orifice meter - Google Patents
Tube mounting for orifice meter Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0070094B1 EP0070094B1 EP82302852A EP82302852A EP0070094B1 EP 0070094 B1 EP0070094 B1 EP 0070094B1 EP 82302852 A EP82302852 A EP 82302852A EP 82302852 A EP82302852 A EP 82302852A EP 0070094 B1 EP0070094 B1 EP 0070094B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- flow tubes
- orifice
- plate
- plates
- upstream
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
- 238000011144 upstream manufacturing Methods 0.000 claims description 14
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 description 4
- 239000002245 particle Substances 0.000 description 3
- 238000005259 measurement Methods 0.000 description 2
- VNWKTOKETHGBQD-UHFFFAOYSA-N methane Chemical compound C VNWKTOKETHGBQD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 239000004576 sand Substances 0.000 description 2
- 235000008733 Citrus aurantifolia Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 229910000831 Steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 235000011941 Tilia x europaea Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 238000009825 accumulation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000003116 impacting effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000002955 isolation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000004571 lime Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000003345 natural gas Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000010959 steel Substances 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
- G01F1/00—Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow
- G01F1/05—Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by using mechanical effects
- G01F1/34—Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by using mechanical effects by measuring pressure or differential pressure
- G01F1/36—Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by using mechanical effects by measuring pressure or differential pressure the pressure or differential pressure being created by the use of flow constriction
- G01F1/40—Details of construction of the flow constriction devices
- G01F1/42—Orifices or nozzles
Definitions
- Natural gas is generally sold by volumetric measurement, and one way to measure the flowing gas is by passing it through an orifice of a fixed, predetermined size in order to measure the pressure drop across the orifice.
- An orifice meter or fitting comprises a housing with flow passages in which a disc with an orifice is supported.
- the housing which is installed in a gas pipeline, is provided with pressure taps for measuring pressures immediately upstream and immediately downstream of the orifice. Because the orifice plate is subject to wear by impacting of sand, line scale and other foreign particles in the flowing stream, it must be replaced at frequent intervals to ensure accuracy in measurement.
- Existing orifice fittings or meters have housings of the gate valve type comprising a pair of opposed body plates having aligned circular openings and containing a carrier plate in which the orifice plate is secured in alignment with said openings.
- the valve body hubs have an outer diameter substantially equal to that of the pipeline but, for any given nominal pipeline diameter there may be two or more inner diameters required, depending upon a number of factors which must be considered in gas metering. This generally requires a manufacturer to stock orifice meters without finishing the flow tubes, and then to complete the tubes to prescribed internal diameter and length upon receipt of a customer's order.
- an orifice fitting which may be manufactured and subsequently fitted with flow tubes of a selected internal diameter.
- an orifice meter comprising a housing with a pair of opposed body plates having aligned circular openings therethrough and an orifice plate positioned between said body plates in alignment with said openings, characterised in that it includes upstream and downstream flow tubes of a standard pipeline outer diameter and a selected inner diameter an upstream and a downstream mounting plate secured respectively around said upstream and downstream flow tubes bolt means securing said upstream and downstream mounting plates each to one of said body plates with the inner end of each of said flow tubes extending into the circular opening in the body plate to which it is mounted and means for sealing between the flow tubes and the body plates and further comprising tap ports through said flow tubes at predetermined equal distances from said orifice plate, pressure tap ducts bored laterally through said body plates from the exterior to said circular openings, and recesses in the outer walls of said flow tubes embracing said tap parts to ensure communication with said tap ducts.
- Figure 1 is an elevation view of an orifice fitting embodying features of this invention.
- Figure 2 is a vertical section view of the orifice fitting with the orifice in active position.
- the orifice meter or fitting 10 of this invention comprises a pair of parallel, steel body plates 12 and 14, which are secured together by a plurality of bolts 16 clamping them against the edges of an oval body band 18 carrying resilient seal rings 20 to form a s,.iled enclosure 21 between the body plates 12 and 14.
- This is similar to the gate valve structure shown in M.H. Grove, US Patent document US-A-3,069,129.
- a gate-like carrier 22 Slidably carried between the parallel plates 12 and 14 is a gate-like carrier 22, though of annular configuration with an opening 24 therethrough and counterbored at 26 to form an internal shoulder 28.
- the orifice plate 30 Supported against the internal shoulder 28 is the orifice plate 30 having an orifice 32 therethrough of a predetermined size.
- An annular axial flange 34 on the orifice plate 30 carries a seal ring 36 to prevent the occurrence of a leak path around the orifice plate 30.
- the internal diameter of the axial flange 34, as well as the internal diameter of the carrier opening 24, are substantially equal to the internal diameter of the upstream and downstream flow hubs or tubes 38 and 39.
- a seat ring 40 Carried on each side of the annular carrier 22 is a seat ring 40 carrying a resilient outer seal 42 and a resilient main seal 44.
- the main seals 44 on opposite sides of the carrier 22 maintain constant sealing engagement with the body plates 12 and 14 so that, in any position thereof, the portion of the orifice carrier 22 radially inside of the main seal rings 44 is in sealed isolation from the remainder of the valve body space 21.
- the orifice carrier 22 has a panhandle stem 46 which is pivoted at 48 to a crank arm 50 carried on a sealed, rotatable shaft 52 with a squared end 54 for partial rotation, as by means of a suitable wrench 56 ( Figure 1).
- an orifice plate replacement opening 58 Displaced from the flow tube 38 is an orifice plate replacement opening 58, which is of a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the orifice plate 30, but smaller than the diameter of the seat rings 40.
- This orifice plate replacement opening 58 is normally closed by a closure plate 60 which is bolted at 62 and sealed at 64 to the valve body plate 12.
- Carried on the closure plate 60 is an inwardly extending annular or circular plug 66, having an inner, orifice plate retaining surface 66a.
- a vent port 70 which is normally closed by a threaded plug 72.
- the plate 30 In operation, with the orifice carrier in the position shown in Figure 2 with the orifice plate 30 disposed coaxially with the flow tubes 38 and 39, the plate 30 is held in position by engagement of the edge of the annular flange with the inner edge of the upstream flow tube 38 and also by the force of the gas flowing in the direction of arrow F pressing it against the internal shoulder 28. Then, as the crank arm 50 is pivoted, to move the carrier 22 upward, the orifice plate 30 is held in place by sliding engagement of its annular flange 34 with the planar inner surface of the body plate 12, and it is held in position as it traverses the replacement opening 58 by reason of engagement with the inner surface 66a of the plug 66.
- the opening 58 is sealed off from the remainder of the body space 21 by reason of continued sealed engagement of the seal rings 44 with the parallel body plates 12 and 14. Then, the vent plug 72 may be removed to vent just that space within the main seal rings 44 and, thereafter, the cap screws 62 are threaded out for removal of the closure plate 60. In this condition, the orifice plate 30 is fully accessible and the operator may simply reach in, remove it and replace it, with no screws or other attaching means to be unthreaded or threaded. When the plug 60 is replaced, the orifice plate 30 is again held in place without screws or other attaching means.
- the flow tubes 38 and 39 generally have an outer diameter D 1 , equal to the O.D. of the pipeline (not shown), but the inner diameter D 2 may vary, depending on factors, such as required wall thickness, prescribed ratio of orifice diameter to flow tube diameter, and the like. Then, for each flow tube diameter there is a prescribed flow tube length. Typically, the upstream flow tube 38 must be twenty diameters in length L 1 , measured the orifice disc and the downstream flow tube must be 10 diameters in length L 2 .
- the flow tubes 38 and 39 are welded at 76 to mounting plates 78 which may be bolted and sealed 80, 82 to the body plates 12 and 14.
- the flow tubes 38 and 39 are provided with small lateral pressure tap ports 82 and 84, each of which is displaced a precise distance, usually one inch (25.4 mm), from the orifice plate (30). Grooves 86 and 88 around the flow tubes 38 and 39 embracing the pressure tap ports 82 and 84, ensure with pressure ducts 90 and 92 in the body plates 12 and 14. This allows the body tap ducts 90 and 92 to be spaced from the inner wall of the body plates 12 and 14.
- communicating ducts 94, 95 which open into the body space 21 at the bottom thereof
- communicating ducts 96, 97 which open to the outside of the valve body 10, being normally closed by a plug 98.
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Measuring Volume Flow (AREA)
- Details Of Valves (AREA)
- Sliding Valves (AREA)
Description
- Natural gas is generally sold by volumetric measurement, and one way to measure the flowing gas is by passing it through an orifice of a fixed, predetermined size in order to measure the pressure drop across the orifice. An orifice meter or fitting comprises a housing with flow passages in which a disc with an orifice is supported. The housing, which is installed in a gas pipeline, is provided with pressure taps for measuring pressures immediately upstream and immediately downstream of the orifice. Because the orifice plate is subject to wear by impacting of sand, line scale and other foreign particles in the flowing stream, it must be replaced at frequent intervals to ensure accuracy in measurement.
- Existing orifice fittings or meters (US-A-3069129) have housings of the gate valve type comprising a pair of opposed body plates having aligned circular openings and containing a carrier plate in which the orifice plate is secured in alignment with said openings. The valve body hubs have an outer diameter substantially equal to that of the pipeline but, for any given nominal pipeline diameter there may be two or more inner diameters required, depending upon a number of factors which must be considered in gas metering. This generally requires a manufacturer to stock orifice meters without finishing the flow tubes, and then to complete the tubes to prescribed internal diameter and length upon receipt of a customer's order.
- It is an object of this invention to provide an orifice fitting which may be manufactured and subsequently fitted with flow tubes of a selected internal diameter. This object is achieved by an orifice meter comprising a housing with a pair of opposed body plates having aligned circular openings therethrough and an orifice plate positioned between said body plates in alignment with said openings, characterised in that it includes upstream and downstream flow tubes of a standard pipeline outer diameter and a selected inner diameter an upstream and a downstream mounting plate secured respectively around said upstream and downstream flow tubes bolt means securing said upstream and downstream mounting plates each to one of said body plates with the inner end of each of said flow tubes extending into the circular opening in the body plate to which it is mounted and means for sealing between the flow tubes and the body plates and further comprising tap ports through said flow tubes at predetermined equal distances from said orifice plate, pressure tap ducts bored laterally through said body plates from the exterior to said circular openings, and recesses in the outer walls of said flow tubes embracing said tap parts to ensure communication with said tap ducts.
- Figure 1 is an elevation view of an orifice fitting embodying features of this invention; and
- Figure 2 is a vertical section view of the orifice fitting with the orifice in active position.
- Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 with greater particularity the orifice meter or fitting 10 of this invention comprises a pair of parallel,
steel body plates bolts 16 clamping them against the edges of anoval body band 18 carryingresilient seal rings 20 to form a s,.iledenclosure 21 between thebody plates - Slidably carried between the
parallel plates like carrier 22, though of annular configuration with an opening 24 therethrough and counterbored at 26 to form aninternal shoulder 28. Supported against theinternal shoulder 28 is theorifice plate 30 having anorifice 32 therethrough of a predetermined size. An annularaxial flange 34 on theorifice plate 30 carries aseal ring 36 to prevent the occurrence of a leak path around theorifice plate 30. As shown, the internal diameter of theaxial flange 34, as well as the internal diameter of the carrier opening 24, are substantially equal to the internal diameter of the upstream and downstream flow hubs ortubes - Carried on each side of the
annular carrier 22 is aseat ring 40 carrying a resilientouter seal 42 and a resilientmain seal 44. Themain seals 44 on opposite sides of thecarrier 22 maintain constant sealing engagement with thebody plates orifice carrier 22 radially inside of themain seal rings 44 is in sealed isolation from the remainder of thevalve body space 21. - The
orifice carrier 22 has apanhandle stem 46 which is pivoted at 48 to acrank arm 50 carried on a sealed,rotatable shaft 52 with asquared end 54 for partial rotation, as by means of a suitable wrench 56 (Figure 1). - Displaced from the
flow tube 38 is an orifice plate replacement opening 58, which is of a diameter larger than the outer diameter of theorifice plate 30, but smaller than the diameter of theseat rings 40. This orifice plate replacement opening 58 is normally closed by aclosure plate 60 which is bolted at 62 and sealed at 64 to thevalve body plate 12. Carried on theclosure plate 60 is an inwardly extending annular orcircular plug 66, having an inner, orificeplate retaining surface 66a. In the closure plate 60 avent port 70 which is normally closed by a threadedplug 72. - In operation, with the orifice carrier in the position shown in Figure 2 with the
orifice plate 30 disposed coaxially with theflow tubes plate 30 is held in position by engagement of the edge of the annular flange with the inner edge of theupstream flow tube 38 and also by the force of the gas flowing in the direction of arrow F pressing it against theinternal shoulder 28. Then, as thecrank arm 50 is pivoted, to move thecarrier 22 upward, theorifice plate 30 is held in place by sliding engagement of itsannular flange 34 with the planar inner surface of thebody plate 12, and it is held in position as it traverses the replacement opening 58 by reason of engagement with theinner surface 66a of theplug 66. - With the
orifice carrier 22 opposing the opening 58, the opening 58 is sealed off from the remainder of thebody space 21 by reason of continued sealed engagement of theseal rings 44 with theparallel body plates vent plug 72 may be removed to vent just that space within themain seal rings 44 and, thereafter, thecap screws 62 are threaded out for removal of theclosure plate 60. In this condition, theorifice plate 30 is fully accessible and the operator may simply reach in, remove it and replace it, with no screws or other attaching means to be unthreaded or threaded. When theplug 60 is replaced, theorifice plate 30 is again held in place without screws or other attaching means. - The
flow tubes upstream flow tube 38 must be twenty diameters in length L1, measured the orifice disc and the downstream flow tube must be 10 diameters in length L2. - Accordingly, it is an advantage to fabricate the flow tubes separately from the remainder of the
orifice 10 and to then install them on customer order. Accordingly, theflow tubes plates 78 which may be bolted and sealed 80, 82 to thebody plates - The
flow tubes pressure tap ports Grooves 86 and 88 around theflow tubes pressure tap ports pressure ducts body plates body tap ducts body plates - Also provided in the
upstream body plate 12 are communicatingducts body space 21 at the bottom thereof, and in thedownstream body plate 14 are communicatingducts valve body 10, being normally closed by aplug 98. Hence, in the event that there is-any accumulation of sand, lime scale and other foreign particles below the carrier theplug 98 may be removed to blow the area out with upstream pressure to ensure that the foreign particles will not interfere with proper alignment of the orifice plate. - While this invention has been described in conjunction with a preferred embodiment thereof, it is obvious that modifications and changes therein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention, as defined by the claims appended hereto.
Claims (3)
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US06/271,638 US4380936A (en) | 1981-06-08 | 1981-06-08 | Tube mounting for orifice meter |
US271638 | 1981-06-08 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0070094A1 EP0070094A1 (en) | 1983-01-19 |
EP0070094B1 true EP0070094B1 (en) | 1985-05-08 |
Family
ID=23036439
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP82302852A Expired EP0070094B1 (en) | 1981-06-08 | 1982-06-03 | Tube mounting for orifice meter |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US4380936A (en) |
EP (1) | EP0070094B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JPS582616A (en) |
CA (1) | CA1170858A (en) |
DE (1) | DE3263652D1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5464036A (en) * | 1994-02-09 | 1995-11-07 | Valgro, Ltd. | Orifice fitting with venting passage and injection seal |
US5588467A (en) * | 1995-03-15 | 1996-12-31 | Crane Manufacturing, Inc. | Orifice fitting |
US5778933A (en) * | 1995-03-15 | 1998-07-14 | Crane Manufacturing, Inc. | Orifice fitting |
US6164142A (en) * | 1997-10-31 | 2000-12-26 | Dimeff; John | Air flow measurement device |
WO2010002999A2 (en) * | 2008-07-01 | 2010-01-07 | Daniel Measurement And Control, Inc. | Orifice fitting with a drainage system |
CN102590557A (en) * | 2012-03-22 | 2012-07-18 | 上海理工大学 | Variable-diameter negative pressure type breeze speed calibration device |
Family Cites Families (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2217643A (en) * | 1937-07-09 | 1940-10-08 | British American Oil Company L | Fluid meter |
US3069129A (en) * | 1959-07-31 | 1962-12-18 | Marvin H Grove | Valve construction having fluid pressure and spring bias seals |
US3037384A (en) * | 1959-11-06 | 1962-06-05 | Information Systems Inc | Multi-range fluid flow measuring apparatus |
US3079796A (en) * | 1960-02-04 | 1963-03-05 | Daniel Orifice Fitting Company | Orifice plate transfer apparatus |
FR1274629A (en) * | 1960-09-15 | 1961-10-27 | Orifice holder for fluid flow measurements using the differential method | |
US3779076A (en) * | 1972-04-17 | 1973-12-18 | Beckman Instruments Inc | Flow metering run with orifice plate |
US4343193A (en) * | 1979-02-17 | 1982-08-10 | Raymond Winston Dawson | Fluid flow measuring apparatus |
-
1981
- 1981-06-08 US US06/271,638 patent/US4380936A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
1982
- 1982-05-19 CA CA000403339A patent/CA1170858A/en not_active Expired
- 1982-06-03 DE DE8282302852T patent/DE3263652D1/en not_active Expired
- 1982-06-03 EP EP82302852A patent/EP0070094B1/en not_active Expired
- 1982-06-07 JP JP57096368A patent/JPS582616A/en active Pending
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
JPS582616A (en) | 1983-01-08 |
CA1170858A (en) | 1984-07-17 |
DE3263652D1 (en) | 1985-06-13 |
EP0070094A1 (en) | 1983-01-19 |
US4380936A (en) | 1983-04-26 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
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PUAI | Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase |
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AK | Designated contracting states |
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17P | Request for examination filed |
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ITF | It: translation for a ep patent filed | ||
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